Basil is an important herb known the world over more for its culinary uses but the herb offers a plethora of medical benefits. Basil has many health benefits that cover a wide spectrum of uses. Known to have originated in India, its widely found in India, Pakistan and Thailand.Basil makes a great kitchen plant, as its uses are two-fold, for cooking as well as to cure a variety of ailments. An attractive plant, it looks and works well in a vegetable patch, herb or flower garden. A versatile herb, basil is used extensively in Thai, Italian and Vietnamese cuisine for its warm, gentle and unique flavor and fragrance. They taste and smell best when it's freshly cut and used immediately. Tear the leaf into pieces with your hand instead of chopping as this helps retain the flavor longer.Basil does not retain its flavor well when dried or frozen; hence use it as soon as you pluck it from the plant. Medically it is useful to provide relief to sore gums, swish out the mouth often with strong basil tea. A basil leaf tucked into the mouth over the ulcer and kept there eases the pain. Basil leaf has many uses
Read MoreWhen the French lawyer and politician Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are" (The Physiology of Taste, 1826), meaning that the way we eat reveals our personality, his perspective was first of all psychological and behavioral.Yet, this quote can go beyond the personal and subjective dimension and become suitable for a social and historical perspective that can be applied to the European culture from the Middle Ages onwards.Food has always been a culturally and socially important factor. The quantity and quality of food that a household could afford was a clear status symbol. Both were connected to the social identity of a family in two ways: revealing it and deriving from it.At the top of society ladder, the lord was (and he had to be, if he did not want his power to be questioned) first of all a carnivore: meat was a symbol for strength and courage. In order to obtain it, animals (game in particular) had to be caught and killed after exhausting hunts in the woods, which was an activity that required a type of skill very similar to those used on a battlefield. Besides, on a
Read MorePho & Grill is a Pho franchise chain that offers a cafe-style Vietnamese culinary experience with the enticing touch of fine dining but minus the fuss and formalities of having to make reservations and having to sit through a formal meal. Pho & grill manages to mix elegance with a laid-back ambience that brings relaxation to mind. The atmosphere creates the perfect environment to go well with the healthy and nutritious meals you can avail there. Pho & Grill also adds convenience and comfort to the mix, offering full service so you can relax and enjoy the food. As one of the classiest and most elegant franchise chains in the Pho food business, Pho & Grill may not be the largest Pho restaurant franchise, but it certainly has a very unique appeal.Pho & Grill prides itself on its consistently delicious Pho dishes served. The company now aims to widen its reach as the famous Vietnamese staple dish, Pho, becomes even more popular. As the Pho-nomenon reaches global heights, Pho & Grill simply has to follow suit. For this reason, the classic restaurant chain is now open for franchise. A franchise form is available on the Pho & Grill website for
Read MoreNothing says "Valentine's Day" like the color red. Here are some quick and simple desserts that even the busiest mom can whip up in no time. Plus, these are very kid-friendly, so get them in the kitchen to help!Strawberry Angel Food Cake - This is an extra easy dessert to make, and it will be a crowd pleaser. Plus, there is no baking required! Simply buy an angel food cake, an 8oz container of cool whip and a pint of strawberries. "Frost" the cake with the cool whip. Halve the berries vertically and place cut side down on the cake till all sides are covered. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.Heart Cookie Sandwiches - If your family prefers cookies to cake, this is a very cute and easy dessert. Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut out cookies using a heart shaped cookie cutter (if pressed for time, you can use store-bought cookie dough). Once baked and cooled, make sandwiches by spreading strawberry or raspberry jelly on bottom side of one cookie and topping with another cookie (cookie bottoms will be touching; tops will be facing outwards). Once all cookie sandwiches are put together, dust with confectioners' sugar.Strawberry-Chocolate Chip
Read MoreI know the episode of Ace of Cakes is Mascots and Mice. I need a picture of the French Toast cake with the mouse in a beret. Please give me the link. I have gone to multiple sites, including CCC's homepage and the Food Network page, but have yet to find it.
As a Holistic Health Counselor, one of my goals is to inspire people to eat more home-cooked food. Over time, I have gradually increased the percent of food that I cook at home, and I have experienced the benefits. Here are a few of the often overlooked benefits of eating at home.1. Know what you're eatingThe most obvious benefit to preparing your own food is that you know what's in it. Did you know that people consume 50% more calories, fat, and sodium when they eat out? I also find that restaurant meals are heavy on things like rice and noodles, and lighter on vegetables. It's tough to get your days' worth of vegetables when you eat out.I find that when I eat out, I gravitate towards less healthy foods. Restaurants tempt us with French fries, pizza, bread, and desserts. It is also a lot easier to overeat at restaurants because the portion sizes are typically a lot bigger than what we'd serve ourselves at home. (If you do eat out, you might want to order a salad and split the main course with the person you're with -- or ask for a doggy bag and put half of the
Read MoreWhat you see - F-9, the multi-cuisine restaurant has an interesting story behind its name. While it is said that it calls itself Fusion 9 because it serves nine varieties of cuisine at one place, some also say that it is so called because 9 is a powerful number according to numerology. Anyway, we thought that it's best to visit the restaurant to review its nine cuisines than believe in hearsay.What you get - So here's a list of the nine cuisines that it offers - Indian, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Italian, American, Middle-Eastern, Vietnamese and European. Well, the number of cuisines is sure high, but the variety in each category is just about sufficient.What we recommend from the cuisines, however, are the non-vegetarian sizzlers, the Calzone for the veggies, the delectable Pasta and the Arabic Kofta Kebab. But if you are the adventurous kind, you could choose from the other global varieties as well. Besides, the menu, they claim, is changed every two months. So if you are looking for variety, you are promised to be offered the same by Fusion 9.With regard to the desserts, the Pancake and Chocolate-filled Crepes topped with chocolate sauce and nuts are a sure
Read MoreEquipment To start making your own wine you need wine making equipment. You can either buy a kit which has the basic needs of all you will need, a demijohn, funnel, fermentation lock etc.. This is a good starter pack and you can find it in any wine making or home brewing specialist stores, sometimes even some department stores have them.Receipe book The next item you need is a step by step amateur wine making book, you want one that has easy to follow recipes, and use of kitchen appliances if possible. For example put a stool upside down, and when draining your liquor, use the four legs to support your linen towel and let it drain through a funnel into your demijohn.Now to how to make wine, always make sure all your equipment is thoroughly clean. This is very important as any dirt can contaminate the wine.Ingredients You can start by using fresh fruit. It is always advisable to buy fruit which is in season, this reduces the cost, and also makes a good wine. Or you can buy grape concentrate. By using grape concentrate to make wine at home, you can choose dry or sweet, light or full
Read MoreThe beautiful and diverse country of France is said to be the most popular tourist destination in all the world. One of the reasons for this popularity is because France is home to some of the best and most famous tourist attractions that can be found anywhere. Every year, millions and millions of people travel to the various French cities and towns to enjoy their holidays in the renowned "French style."For many, the wonders of France make it a dream destination for a wide variety of people with different tastes and interests. There are grand castles to explore, magnificent cathedrals to take in and be inspired and awed by, beautiful examples of ingenious structures and remarkable architecture, fascinating art museums and history museums, enchanting shopping venues, and spectacular hotels. Add to these marvels the ready availability of world-class French cuisine, and it is no wonder why people love to take in the French experience.In addition, France also boasts some of the most stunning and amazing mountains, rivers and landscapes, not to mention the spectacular beaches, especially in the sun-drenched south of France. There are so many famous tourist attractions and interesting sites to see and experience in France that the
Read MoreNon-stick woks do not require seasoning, and come with simple cleaning instructions from the manufacturers, while steel carbon and iron woks require seasoning. Cleaning a seasoned wok is a lot different than a non-stick wok, and this is what we will cover here.We will start with an important reminder: Do NOT use a steel wool scouring pad (or any abrasive product) on a seasoned wok, EVER! It will waste all the effort you put forth in seasoning your wok, and will require you to re-season it again.A freshly seasoned wok will need some extra tender-loving-care. Immediately after cooking each dish, rinse the wok with plain hot water only. It is important to not use any other cleaning product to avoid damaging the seasoning. Often, there will be some bits and pieces of food particles stuck on the surface of a freshly seasoned wok. To remove them, gently lift them off with a bamboo brush (highly recommended), or a non-metallic scrubber. Then rinse the wok once more with plain hot water. To dry the wok, instead of wiping it dry, put the wet wok on the stove and set it on high heat. Heat the wok until a faint smoke arises
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